SC reaffirms earlier decision granting bail to citizen Enrile

Retired Senator Juan Ponce Enrile . INQUIRER FILE PHOTO/RAFFY LERMA

The Supreme Court has reaffirmed an earlier decision granting bail to retired Senator Juan Ponce Enrile in connection with his involvement in the alleged spending of Priority Development Assistance Funds (PDAF) for ghost projects.

READ: SC upholds ruling granting bail to Enrile

SC spokesman Theodore Te said the high court, voting 7-6-1 stated that “the people were not kept in the dark about nor were they denied a reasonable opportunity to rebut the instability of his health and his advanced age…”

The high court affirmed its decision on August 18, 2015, granting Enrile’s petition with a vote of 8-4.

The decision reversed the Sandiganbayan Third Division’s ruling, which denied his bail plea.

Te said the majority of the high court denied claims by petitioner Office of Solicitor General “that there was preferential treatment” given to Enrile because he was a Senator.

“Rather, the majority emphasized that the grant of bail was due to petitioner’s health condition, which was sufficiently proven,” said Te in a briefing on Tuesday.

The high court decision also said that “the petitioner (referring to Enrile) had shown himself not to be a flight risk primarily due to his health condition.”

Enrile, 92 years old, has posted a P1.45-million bail in the Sandiganbayan where he faces criminal charges of graft.

READ: SC grants Enrile bid for bail

PDAF scam whistleblower Benhur Luy earlier said Enrile received P172.8 million in kickbacks from Janet Lim Napoles, who referred to Enrile as “Tanda” in the use of codenames. TVJ